Not a Secret Anymore
by sootgremlin11
Summary: Angela's thoughts on Claire's jump and what it means to her.


A/N. This is my first story in ages so this is just a wee one-shot to get me back into it. So enjoy!

Footage of Claire jumping off the Ferris wheel was being played over and over again on every major news network. And every time Angela watched her granddaughter expose her kind she felt the same overwhelming surge of emotions: anger, sadness, disappointment...and fear.

When her dreams of the future didn't torment her, her dreams of what had happened at Coyote Sands did. She could still remember the horror she felt as she saw Alice's ability destroy everything including herself, their father and their mother...and all because the government had known about them. Angela had sworn she would never let that happen again.

She had changed. She had become someone she often loathed to make sure that people like her would never have to suffer like that again. She had done terrible things...and all to protect future generations. She smiled slightly as she gave a rare, loving gaze at the sleeping figure next to her.

Peter had come to see her soon after Claire's 'suicide attempt'. He knew she would be angry after what had happened to her during her childhood and also last year at the hands of her own son. He didn't say anything as he sat next to her, taking her hand as they watched the television in silence. It hadn't taken long for Peter to succumb to exhaustion, his head lolling on to Angela's shoulder.

Angela listened to his steady breathing and quietly envied how peaceful he looked in sleep. She gently stroked his cheek causing him to stir slightly as he snuggled in closer. Angela smiled and kissed the top of her son's forehead.

Even after she had become someone she inwardly reviled, Angela had always had a soft spot for Peter...

"_Mom?"_

_Angela looked up from where she was reading in bed to see her five year old son peek his head round the door. She gave an inward sigh at how unintentionally adorable he was and smiled slightly, "It is long past your bedtime, young man." She set her book aside, and Peter took that as his signal to run across the room and leap on to the bed. He crawled so he was sitting where Arthur would normally be, looking so small against Arthur's pillow that Angela actually wanted to giggle._

"_Mom, when's Nathan getting back?"_

_Angela couldn't contain her sigh this time. "I already told you, Peter," she said wearily, taking his little hand in hers, "Nathan is on a summer vacation with his friends. He won't be back for another week yet."_

"_But I miss him." Peter said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world._

"_Well, just because you miss him doesn't mean he should cut his vacation short to come and see you." Angela said patiently._

"_No, I know!" Peter said looking shocked, as he always did when something less than desirable could possibly happen to Nathan, "It's just – whenever I start to miss Nathan, he's always there."_

_Angela felt herself soften a little as she saw how dejected her son looked; then gave herself an internal slap. She was becoming far too soft for her own good – and Peter's too, though he didn't know it._

"_Well, Peter," Angela squeezed his hand, "life doesn't always work out to give you what you want. You need to learn to be patient."_

_Peter nodded and gave his mother a shaky smile. Oh Lord, Angela willed the words not to come out of her mouth, knowing that if she wanted Peter to toughen up she had to be less indulgent with him but they came out anyway, seemingly of their own accord, "Listen, just for tonight, you can sleep here since your father is out of town."_

"_Really?" Peter's face lit up._

"_Yes," Angela replied wagging a finger, "but just for tonight." _

_Peter scrambled under the covers and looked up at his mother, "Night, Ma."_

"_Goodnight, Peter." Angela reached once again for her book and began to read. She had only read a paragraph when she looked over to see Peter already fast asleep. She reached over and stroked his soft cheek and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead before switching off the light._

Peter's cheek was covered in a slight stubble now but when Angela looked at his sleeping face, she could still see her little boy.

She had done it for him. She had become a monster in many ways to protect him and others. If she hadn't...she shuddered to think of the life her boys may have had.

_No_, Angela thought as she watched Claire jump yet again, _she may have betrayed us but that doesn't change the last 50 years of safety they've enjoyed thanks to us_. She flinched slightly as she remembered her friends who were all dead and gone: Charles, Daniel, Bob, Kaito, Maury, Victoria...Arthur.

They had dedicated their lives to keeping the secret. And they had, doing such awful things in the process. _But_, she thought, glancing again at Peter, _it was worth it_.


End file.
